THE TOWNLAND OF BALLYSHEIL MORE

The townland of Ballysheil More is in the parish of Ballymore in Armagh County.
It is labelled number 10 on the map. J021423

The Environment and Heritage Service Sites and Monuments Record (2002) notes the following in this townland:

Rath of the Early Christian Period.
SMR NO: ARM 018:032
Irish Grid Reference: J02284222
Townland: BALLYSHEIL MORE
CONDITION: traces only
A circular "Fort" over 50m in diam. is shown on the 1835 OS 6" map, while the 1863 edition shows the site with the E side removed by a trackway. In the 1960s a banked enclosure 52.5m N-S x 53.5m EW was still visible. There were 2 gaps in the S side but neither seemed original. A external ditch survived. Most of the site has since been levelled & only a portion of bank survives on the N & W 1.5m high x 3.5m wide. A narrow ditch which is essentially modern can be seen around the perimeter.

Enclosure of uncertain period
SMR NO: ARM 018:036
Irish Grid Reference: J02664171
Townland: BALLYSHEIL MORE
CONDITION: No visible remains
The E half of a circular "Fort" c.50m in diam. is shown on the OS 6" map of 1835. The map edition of 1863 however indicated only the site of a somewhat small "Fort". The monument was located on a natural eminence overlooking lower ground to the S, but overlooked itself by higher ground to the N. There are no visible remains.

The Environment and Heritage Service Agency Sites and Monuments Record (2002)
notes the following in this townland:

Rath from the Early Christian period
SMR NO: ARM 017:004
GRIDREF: J02004273
"A circular 'earthwork' is shown on the 1835 & 1863 OS 6"maps, but agricultural
improvements have removed almost all trace. Only a short length of the perimeter
on the S has survived, preserved by a field boundary. There is a bank 1.8m
wide x 1.5m above the base of a ditch 3.5m wide x 0.5m deep. Field reports
of the 1980s record more extensive remains comprising a low circular platform
0.61.2m high, measuring c.36.5m N-S x 36m E-W.A bank & recut ditch also survived
around the N, but nothing is now visible. "